We flew to Coron from Manila in a tiny plane. Small planes make me nervous and initially, I was a bit unsure if this plane would actually be able to make the journey. The fight took just over an hour and a half and cost Php2200. When we arrived I grabbed some flyers from the information counter, hoping they would give me some guidance when selecting my accommodation. Our baggage was laid out on a large table that was (in the hope of resembling a conveyer belt) in the shape of an oval, now this is third world I thought. As we gathered our luggage ad walked outside, I was greeted by a friendly face who offered to take us into Coron. We agreed and proceeded to jump into his taxi. He introduced himself as Charlie and explained that he worked for a travel agency. He then asked us what we had planned for tomorrow. I explained that I wanted to have a relaxing day on Coron Island, soaking up some sun. Overjoyed, he explained that his friends would take us there for Php1500 as opposed to the Php2500 that the other boats charged. There are no beaches in Coron, thus you have to go island hopping if you desire some beach time.
View from the bar at Seadive and a view from our room at Seadive (on our second night)
As we drove into Coron town, Charlie suggested that we stay in Seadive Resort. I was reluctant to lay my head there for the night as I had read some pretty brutal reviews about the place. Charlie however assured us that it would be more convenient for us to stay there as it was right on the water and close to everything so we agreed. Our stay in Seadive got off to a rocky start. The only rooms available were the fanned rooms with shared bathrooms (Php400). A shared bathroom may be bearable in some cases, but not here, not an Asian style bathroom where used and unused toilet paper is discarded into the dustbin next to you as opposed to the toilet and the shower is not a separate space, but rather it is integrated into the bathroom allowing absolutely everything to get wet whenever you turn on the tap.
The restaurant at the Seadive was fantastic, the bar at the back had a great atmosphere and the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. However, this was not enough to make me happy, so the following day we upgraded to the second floor, to a better room with our own bathroom and a gorgeous view of Coron bay it cost us Php1100 and was worth every cent. The following day, Charlie was waiting for us to take us to his friend’s boat. He took us through the market so we could get some lunch. It was there that I realized how rural Coron was. The market boasted a strong smell of fish, this was not surprising as I had read that foreigners had found that the town had a rather potent smell, however it was nothing compared to some of the smells I have had to endure in Korea. Anyway we managed to get some fruit that looked and tasted amazing with a side order of cashew nuts for lunch.
We met our two guides who assisted us onto the boat. As we drove away we admired the tiny town from the boat. All of a sudden we stopped in the middle of no where and were handed masks and snorkels. I realized then that my idea of having a relaxing day on the beach was declined. I surrendered and placed the mask over my face, the snorkel in my mouth and dived into the clear blue waters of Coron.
View from the second stop (left)
At our third stop where we snorkeled with jellyfish.
During the course of the day we proceeded to snorkel at two different lagoons, a shipwreck and enjoyed our simple but delicious lunch on a white sandy beach. The scenery was spectacular and under the water it was just as beautiful as above. We spotted some colourful fish and encountered a school of jellyfish.
Tips about Coron
Bring bug spray
Expect it to be run down; it’s not a first world country.
During high season (January/ February), book before you come.
If you go island hopping be sure to bring change as you have to pay an environmental fee at every stop.
Accommodation
Sea Dive
Rooms range from Php400 to Php 1400
www.seadiveresort.com
E-mail: seadiveresort.com
+63 920 945 8714
KokosNuss Garden Resort
Rooms range from Php450- Php1880
http://www.kokosnuss.info/more/bnb.html
E- mail: info@ kikisnuss.info
+63-919-776 95 44
+63-919-448 78 79
Princes of Coron, Austrian guesthouses (Swimming pool)
Rooms Php1600
http://www.philippinen-urlaub.at/
princessofcoron@chello.at
+63 918 659 0563
Charlie’s details
Charlie B. Labajo
Evergreen diving Philippines
Telephone Number 09293019172
E- mail: charlielabajo@yahoo.com
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